Luau Party

A few days after Savannah's Birthday we were finally able to get all the family together to celebrate and what's better in the dead of winter than a taste of summer so we opted for a luau! Savannah mentioned this summer it would be fun to have a summer birthday in December, she said "we should have a Hawaii party for my birthday this year!" So we did! It was a lot of fun for the kids, they were met by the birthday girl with an authentic lei (OK not authentic but still cute and fun), we played hot lava coconut, the kids did the limbo, they sampled real coconut, we had exotic Hawaiian punch complete with umbrellas and yummy cake and ice cream! It is always so much fun to have the cousins together, I am glad we all live close enough to get together often!


Here is the birthday cake! My lack of baking skills is no secret! No secret whatsoever - they are completely non-existence, but thankfully I can always count on a grocery store bakery to come through for me! It turned out very tropical and fun! And best of all I didn't have to make it! Can't beat that!


Here is the kitchen decked out for the party! The cups all had little umbrellas in them all ready for Hawaiian punch! Emily and I raided the dollar store and found a few decorations (it was off season) and a grass skirt and lei for Savannah to wear. It was seriously a crazy, decorated mess in the house between the luau stuff and the Christmas decorations already out! Still we had a taste of summer and it was delicious!


Here is the luau girl ready to host her party!


Savannah greeted everyone with a lei and welcomed them to the party! Even the boys were really good sports and accepted the "necklace!" Chandler really was on board . . . well eventually! And to add to the ambiance Audrey took it upon herself to say to every guest after they got their lei and got into the living room "welcome to paradise!" It was hilarious, kept us laughing until the very last guest arrived! She is a crack-up!

Here are the kids playing "Hot lava coconut" I bought a CD of luau music and we passed around a real coconut and when the music stopped whoever had the coconut, got to be in charge of regulating the music for the next round, I was going for a tear-free night! A success I might add! Yeah! The kids were fascinated with the real coconut, they excited to see what it would be like inside!

Limbo, limbo, limbo! So I know this is a totally modified limbo, but we did what we could! We had the kids crab walk underneath it, since we figured they could do that easier, they just couldn't let their bums touch the ground, OK we actually didn't hold fast to that rule either - remember the goal of a tear-free night?!? Once again it was a success!

Go Audrey! Go Audrey! It was such a fun night, even the little kids got into it and really had a good time!

This is how opening presents go at ANY cousin birthday party! All the kids huddle around anxiously watching the present opening! So cute how they all want to be part of the action, makes the picture taking a bit challenging but it is so fun to see the excitement and curiosity from all of them!!

The kids were so excited to see what a real coconut looked like and tasted like! Larren and Uncle Bryan tried several methods and then had success with a drill, it was quite a process, and an adventure, the kids were fascinated, look at all those kids on the counter! However, when all was said and done, the kids were sorely disappointed, not impressed with the juice or the meat! So funny, I actually love coconut, a love learned on my mission where I ate many a coconut! So needless to say, despite the kids refusal to eat it, I made sure it didn't all go to waste! Yum-O!

Make a wish Savannah! She got all of them out in one blow, so her wish will come true! Woo hoo! I know for sure my wish for an amazing daughter has come true! It was a fun party, Savannah had a wonderful time and now I have a nine year old daughter! Unbelievable!